The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement and Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on Friday warned that the will of Nigerians must not be suppressed during the 2027 general elections.
Makinde gave the warning in Bauchi while speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and the national leadership of the APM.
He said the outcome of the 2027 polls must reflect the wishes of the electorate, stressing that the opposition would resist any attempt to manipulate the electoral process.
“The same thing is going to happen this time around. They must not suppress the will of the people. They must not suppress whatever decision they are going to take, and we will ensure that happens.
“We will not allow any electoral malpractice. The outcome must reflect the voice of Nigerians,” he said.
Makinde described Nigeria’s current political climate as “toxic” and one of the darkest periods in the country’s history but expressed optimism that a new political dawn was approaching.
“Being in opposition, the political environment is very toxic. It is in the darkest moments, I can say that to you. But when the day is about to break, that is the darkest point.
“So, I can assure Nigerians that irrespective of the challenges we are faced with, the day is about to break for a new dawn in the country. Tomorrow, the sun will start rising again for Nigeria,” he stated.
Speaking on the APM’s chances in the 2027 presidential election, Makinde said the party was confident because Nigerians would ultimately determine the outcome of the election.
He recalled how he emerged victorious in the 2019 Oyo State governorship election despite the dominance of the then-ruling All Progressives Congress at both the federal and state levels.
“In Oyo State in 2019, as an opposition party then in the PDP, APC was ruling at the federal level and also at the state level, but we won.
“It is the people. Democracy is about the people of Nigeria. We believe they will speak very loudly and clearly when the time comes,” he added.
Addressing concerns over insecurity in Oyo State, the governor argued that recent security challenges should be viewed in proper context, noting that the state had enjoyed years of relative peace before the recent incidents.
“I have been on this job for seven years and about two months. The insecurity you mentioned happened barely two months ago. For several years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State.
“I declared to run for the presidency of Nigeria at 4 p.m., and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were abducted,” he said.
Makinde said state governments remained constrained by Nigeria’s security architecture despite being regarded as the chief security officers of their respective states.
“My brother here and I are the Chief Security Officers of our states, but I cannot give instructions to the Commissioner of Police. He needs approval from the Inspector-General of Police. The Director of DSS also requires clearance from the Director-General, and the same applies to the military.
“Yes, I can declare a curfew, but how does that support the economic activities of the people? We are doing our best to work with the federal authorities,” he stated.
Earlier, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed said his meeting with Makinde centred on governance, security and the future of the APM as an opposition party.
“We came together to examine challenges, exchange ideas and learn from one another. Governor Seyi Makinde, as a seasoned engineer who has accomplished so much in Oyo State, is someone from whom I have learned a great deal,” Mohammed said.
He commended Makinde’s developmental strides in Oyo State, saying the governor had executed projects that ordinarily fall within the responsibility of the Federal Government.
“You can see that he is even executing projects that ordinarily fall under the responsibility of the Federal Government. He rebuilt the entire airport owned by the Federal Government.
“When you visit Oyo today, you will hardly recognise it as the same city once described by Soyinka and other great writers as an ancient city. It has now been transformed into a modern city with expansive roads, a revitalised airport and numerous other developments,” he said.
Mohammed added that both governors also discussed security challenges affecting their states and the growth of the APM ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We also had extensive discussions on security, which remains a major challenge for us as chief security officers of our respective states. We shared experiences and explored ways of addressing these challenges collectively.
“Most importantly, we discussed the future of our party, the APM, which is steadily growing into the next major opposition party in the country. The party is repositioning itself to play the role of a constructive opposition.
“Governor Makinde, as our presidential candidate, is working tirelessly to ensure that our campaigns are issue-based, free from malice and driven by maturity, sound ideas and capable individuals who can deliver effective leadership,” he added.
